Polarized house wiring receptacle and plug



Oct. 5, 1948. c. L. CLARK POLARIZED HOUSE WIRING RECEPTACLE AND PLUG Filed Oct. 26, 1945 INVENTOR. HARZEJ L (Z/I/PK ATTCI R N EYE Patented Oct. 5, 1948 vP,oillua'u tEn-iiudusr. WIRING RECEPTACLE p 'ANDPLUG 1 .was aicark, mamarai appiic'aeon'o' ict 2s, re isfsenai uoxeeijgcez My present invention, in its" road-aspect, has reference to improvements in ;polarized {house wiring, receptacles and plugs, and more particularly, it is my purpose to provide animproved and unique receptacle to "be attached to any oujtlet box, ,or wall plate, or the like, and, which will prevent possibility of shocks 'andeliminatefire hazards, and whicnemb odies improved connections for plugs and wires ieadingto' electrically operated appliances. attaining'the above-and other objects and'advantages of my invention, I provide, among other-things, an improved insulating tube, and electric" terminals, including both negative and positivabus bars :and connections thereto, and an improved -meansfor preventing ignition of gas, -la ir and gasvwhen electric circuits are broken, whereby a safe article of household equipment is provided whichmayFbe attached to a wall plate or'ou'tlet box-merelyby screwing the same in-place. deViG BLiS fsti-iriiy, practical and efilcientand hasno parts fiikelyto get out of order or become' br oken or' deranged. My invent-ion has the distinct advantage'of-permitting the plug ;to be insertedtinto the receptacle in the dark, an important improvement over the ones now in use and should prove ;of: ,great assistance and convenience to the present day users of articles of this type.

Another important advantage of my invention is the carrying capacity of the conductors, their larger contact surfaces when the plug is inserted allowin the device to be used where heavier loads exist or liable to occur which eliminates fire hazards to a much greater extent than the ones in use at the present time. Since the grounded side of the circuit is always in contact before and after the live side of the circuit is in contact, my device is safe to use and eliminates fires caused by short circuits.

Then the advantage my plug has of concealing or insulating the electric are from coming in contact with explosive mixtures of air and gases of all kinds 'provides a device which has long been needed, and the concealing of the electric are when necessary to break electric connections in devices of all kinds necessary for this purpose adds a further distinctive advantage to my invention.

Other and equally important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent cfrom the following specification and drawings, and it is pointed out that changes in form, size, shape, materials, and construction and arrangement of parts is permissible and fall within the purview of my broad inventive concept, and the scope of the appended claims,

1 :01a (cities-4350i In thcdrawings, wherein I'have illustrated a 'ipre'ferred form or-my invention ii -figure 1 vis .a vertical longitudinal section; 'Figureiaais a transverse section :on the line 2-2 is a vertical section on .the'line :3-l3 .of Figure :1;

Figure Avis ;a .detail view showing my insulating etube. andiims bar-and .the mannernof insulating thetierminais;

-I-,1 .igui:e: 5:isa perspective view showing my metal tuberterminai;

(Figure 6 -1838 perspective view showing the as- 5 bus bariand metal tube terminal,

;.Figure =7 .is-a vertical section through-my improved plug.

. ,In 1-the-drawings, wherein dike characters oi ,refereneeare. used -.to designate like 3 or similar iipflrts; throughout the several views:

.{l henumeral .l ;-designates my receptacle which is ,.pregfierablyelongated and. rectangular, and has app-W112 heldih placehy screw -3 throughplate fag-end hangers 4 and 5. at the ends. Attached by screws fi adjacent the ends of. the receptacle are ,blocks ,l oandiifleachcarrying a metal tube teriminal sce l g ures a and .6-.-t he .terminaLconnectlons ll) of each of which are separated by one of my cylindrical, hollow, elongated insulating tubes ll, within each of which is one of my improved split terminals l2-see Figure 5. The metal tube terminal 9 is in efiect a bus bar having a cylindrical base section [3 from which lead vertical terminals M. The tubes H are within the vertical terminals and seat in the blocks. The split terminals l2 also seat in the blocks 1 and have lateral lead off connections l5 to screws I6 for attachment to wires leading to appliances. Within each split terminal I2 is a conical rubber member I! supported on a standard or pin l8 attached on the block to prevent explosion of air and gas in case an electric circuit is broken by removing a plug. There is a small hole [9 in the connection of my improved plug to release air. As shown in Figure 1, the insulating tubes ll rise above the terminals l4 from the bus bars or cylindrical tube terminals 9 to the mouth 20 of the sockets 2| in the cover 2. My plug 22- see Figures 1 and 7-combines a two-part body including a base 23 to which is attached by screws 24 the cylindrical body 25 and two cylindrical connections 26 and 21 one within and spaced from and concentric with the other. In operation, the spaced cylindrical connections are simply p'ressed, one on the inside and one on the 3 outside, of each cylindrical insulating tube contacting respectively the terminals [4 or the cylindrical of the tube terminals 9 or bus bars and the split terminals l2. Each cylindrical connection is attached by lead oil wires 28 and 29 respectively to positive and negative contact screws 30 in the plug.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the operation and advantages of myinvention will be apparent, but it is again pointed out that interpretation of the scope of my invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of. tion thereto.

the subloined claims.

I claim:

1. A polarized house wiring receptacle for use with wall plates and outlet boxes, comprising a "3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein each tubular terminal has vertical terminals,

bent-outwardly at the upper ends to permit easy body and a cover for the body, the cover formeda with plug sockets, plugs to be fitted in said sockets, a pair of spaced concentric cylindrical conductors in each plug,.terminal blocks in said body adjacent the, lower inner ends thereof, positive and negative" terminals in said blocks adapted to receive and engage the cylindrical conductors on the plugs, a cylindrical tubular insulating tube set in each block intermediate of said positive and negative terminals, wiring contact posts connected with the positive and negative terminals, the cylindrical conductors of each plug fitting respectively inside and outside of the insulating tube and between tube and the positive and negative terminals, a conical rubber member over the terminal within the tube to prevent explosion of air and gas when an electric circuit is broken by withdrawing a plug and a pin carried by each terminal block for mounting said rubber member within said insulating tube in spaced relation thereto.

2. A polarized house wiring receptacle for use with wall plates and outlet boxes, comprising a body and a cover for the body. the cover formed with plug sockets, plugs to be fitted in said sockets, a pair of spaced concentric cylindrical conductors in each plug, terminal blocks in'said body adjacent the lower inner ends thereof, a cylindrical tubular-terminal set in each block, a cylindrical hollow vertical insulating tube set in each block inside 01 the tubular terminal, a split entrance of the cylindrical connections of the plugs. l

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the receptacle has a plate embedded therein and a screw connection is provided which extends through the cover to be received in said plate, and. whereinthe cylindrical insulating tubes extend to the mouths of the sockets and above the open ends ofthe tubular terminals and the split terminals.

l 5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the wiring receptacle is elongated and rectangular, and hangers are located between the cover and the receptacle and extend out from the ends.

. CHARLES L. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

